ICSE English Literature Previous Year Question Paper 2015 Solved for Class 10
Section A – Drama
The Merchant of Venice : Shakespeare
Question 1:
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Portia : But this reasoning is not in the fashion to choose me a husband. O me, the word “choose”! I may neither choose whom I would, nor refuse whom I dislike; so is the will of a living daughter curbed by the will of a dead father. Is it not hard, Nerissa, that I cannot choose one, nor refuse none?
(i) What test had Portia’s father devised for her suitors ? What oath did the suitors have to take before making their choice? [3]
(ii) Who is Nerissa? What does she say to cheer up Portia? [3]
(iii) Why does Portia disapprove of the County Palatine ? Who would she rather marry? [3]
(iv) How, according to Portia, can the Duke of Saxony’s nephew be made to choose the wrong casket? What do these suitors ultimately decide? Why? [3]
(v) Whom does Portia ultimately marry? Who were the two other suitors who took the test? Why, in your opinion, is the person whom she marries worthy of her? [4]
Answer:
(i) Portia’s father had devised a lottery of caskets for the suitors. There were three caskets namely gold, silver and lead. In one of them was the portrait of Portia. Whichever suitor chose the casket which contained Portia’s picture would win her as his wife.
The suitors had to take the oath if he chose the wrong casket he will never speak to a lady in the subject of marriage, will not reveal to anyone which casket he chose and thirdly if he fails to immediately leave Belmont and go away from there.
(ii) Nerissa is Portia’s lady-in-waiting and close confidant. She is a smart lady with an intelligent mind and true sense of humour.
Nerissa says to cheer up Portia that her father was always a good man, and such men have good guidance inspirations from Heaven at the time of their death when making their wills. Therefore Nerissa assures Portia that none but the person who really loves her and not her money will choose the right casket.
(iii) Portia disapproves County Palatine saying he is always frowning as much to say that if Portia will not marry him, she may choose someone else. He bears happy stones but does not smile. She is afraid that he will become a sad philosopher like Heraclitus when he grows old because he is so sad in his young age.
She would rather be married to a grinning skeleton with a bone in his mouth than to these suitors.
(iv) Portia in order to safeguard against the worst she tells Nerissa to place a tall glass of Rhenish wine on the wrong casket. Portia is sure that the German suitor will not be able to resist the temptation of the wine even if the picture of the Devil himself is inside the casket. She will do anything rather than be married to a drunkard.
The suitors have informed Nerissa of their decision to back to their home not to trouble Portia with any more suit, unless her father’s decree concerning the caskets can be set aside and they may woo her in an ordinary way.
(v) Portia ultimately marries Bassanio. Prince of Morocco and Prince of Arragon were the other two suitors who took the test.
Bassanio is worthy of Portia because both of them love each other deeply. Bassanio like a noble man has sent greetings, polite salutations, gracious speeches and costly presents before his arraival.
Question 2:
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Duke: What, is Antonio here?
Antonio: Ready, so please your grace.
Duke: I am sorry for thee: thou art come to answer
A stony adversary, an inhuman wretch
Uncapable of pity, void and empty
From any dram of mercy.
(i) What are the terms of the bond that Antonio has signed? [3]
(ii) Why does the Duke call Shylock ‘inhuman’? What does the Duke expect Shylock to do? [13]
(iii) What reason does Shylock give for choosing rotten flesh over money ? What are the things hated by some people? [3]
(iv) State three examples Antonio gives to illustrate Shylock’s stubborn attitude. [3]
(v) How is Shylock’s property distributed at the end by Antonio?
Do you think Shylock deserves the punishment given to him?
Give a reason to justify your answer. [4]
Answer:
(i) The term of the bond is if Antonio is unable to pay the three thousand ducats specified on the paper on a certain date, in an agreed place, the forfeit to be paid, will be an exact pound of Antonio’s flesh which Shylock will be at liberty to take from any part of his body which pleases him.
(ii) Shylock is called inhuman by Duke because he demanded the pound of flesh from Antonio’s body and did not have a single grain to pity in his heart.
The Duke expects Shylock to show mercy on Antonio as Antonio has suffered heavy losses. Shylock will forgive him a part of the principal amount to be paid by Antonio along with forgiving their penalty.
(iii) Shylock says he will not give any particular reason except that it is his fancy and whim. He gives the example that if his house is infested with rats it is fancy to spend ten thousand ducats to have them poisoned. Further he says that there are some people who cannot tolerate the sight of an open mouthed roasted pig, others the sight of a cat and some get angry to hear the scream of the bagpipe. It is just a matter of personal taste. What we like or dislike is determined by our whim or mood.
(iv) Antonio tells that if Bassanio is hoping to soften Shylock’s heart he might as well stand on the sea shore and ask the tide not to rise so high as usual. Secondly he may as well ask the wolf why he has made the mother sheep’to mourn for the lamb he has devoured. Thirdly he may as well expect the tall pines on the hillside not to wave their f high tops and not to make a noise when they are disturbed by the strong winds. He may soften anything which is hard rather than soften the hard heart of Shylock.
(v) One half of Shylock’s property will go to the person against whom Shylock plotted to take his life and the rest will be handed over to the private treasury of the state.
Shylock’s life depended on the Duke’s mercy. Yes, Shylock deserves the punishment, as you sow so shall you reap. He had dug a ditch for Antonio but it seems he himself fell into it.
Loyalties : John Galsworthy
Question 3:
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Lady Adela: Oh! Charlie, he did look so exactly as if he’d sold me a carpet when I was paying him.
Winsor: [changing into slippers] His father did sell carpets, wholesale, in the City.
Lady Adela : Really? And you say I haven’t intuition! [With a finger on her lips] Morison’s in there.
Winsor: [Motioning towards the door, which she shuts] Ronny Dancy took a tenner off him, anyway, before dinner.
(i) How did Dancy take a ‘tenner’ from De Levis?
How does De Levis later connect this trick with the theft? [3]
(ii) Why, according to Lady Adela, did Dancy leave the army?
Why does she call him reckless? [3]
(iii) Where had De Levis kept the money which was stolen? Where had he gone after keeping the money? How much did he lose? [3]
(iv) Why is Winsor outraged when De Levis says he had locked his door? What was the height of the room from the ground? How do they know that the thief did not use a ladder to climb up to De Levis’ room? [3]
(v) How does General Canynge react when De Levis first accuses Dancy of committing the theft? What is your opinion of De Levis?
Give one reason to justify your answer. [4]
Answer:
(i) Dancy took a ‘tenner’ from De Levis by jumping on to a book case four feet high and took ten pounds from De Levis who sneered at him for making money by parlour tricks.
Later when De Levis’ money is stolen, he openly accuses Dancy by saying that the rail of his balcony and the rail of the next (which was of Dancy’s) were seven feet apart. So if a man could take a standing jump on to a narrow book case four feet high he could easily jump his balcony to the one of De Levis.
(ii) According to Lady Adela, Dancy always hankered for excitement and thrill and left the army saying that it was too dull, and at that time there was no fighting.
He got married at a later age and did unexpected things so she calls him a reckless person.
(iii) He kept the money under his pillow. Then he went to take a bath. He lost around nine hundred and seventy pounds.
(iv) According to Winsor, his house was a decent one and no one was supposed to be a thief there. And so there was no need to lock a door.
The height of the room from the ground was twenty-three feet.
Ladders were not used because there was only one ladder within three hundred yards and was kept in the stables. Also it was very heavy. When Canynge instructed him, Treisure went and inspected the ladder in the stables and found it was untouched.
(v) Canynge reacts outrageously by saying that Dancy was a soldier and a gentleman, and that was an extra ordinary insinuation.
De Levis was not at fault when he wanted his money back. But everyone supported Dancy as he was a Christian and cornered De Levis as he was a Jew. He was blackballed from the London Club. People tolerated him only because he had money and attacked him like a pack of hounds. His generosity can be seen when be announces to give one f thousand pounds in charity.
Question 4:
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Mabel: Oh! Why didn’t I face it? But I couldn’t—I had to believe.
Dancy: And now you can’t. It’s the end, Mabel.
Mabel: [Looking up at him] No.
[Dancy goes suddenly on his knees and seizes her hand.]
Dancy: Forgive me!
Mabel: [Putting her hand on his head] Yes; oh, yes! I think I’ve known a long time, really. Only — why? What made you?
(i) How does Dancy respond to Mabel’s question? [3]
(ii) What makes Dancy say ‘that’s not in human nature’ a little later? [3]
(iii) Why does Inspector Dede arrive at Dancy’s house?
How does Mabel try to stall him? [3]
(iv) To whom was Dancy’s suicide note addressed? What had he written in it? [3]
(v) What does Margaret mean when she says that keeping faith is ‘not enough’ and ‘we’ve all done that’?
What, in your opinion, should his friends have done? [4]
Answer:
(i) Dancy’s responded by saying that he only looted a looter. He felt that the money was as much his as much it was of De Levis. He expected to be offered half the amount, The looks of De Levis at dinner table seemed to call Dancy a blasted fool. This made Dancy go mad and steal the money of De Levis. He said that he enjoyed that evening.
(ii) When Mabel comes to know that Dancy stole the money for a woman she overcame her grief and told him to go to Morocco. Dancy asked her if it was a “Good Bye”, Mabel refuted and said she’d follow him. She then said that she never cared about his past and would go on loving him and she would be just the same when he came back to her. Dancy who had never known a woman’s acceptance tried to deny her by saying that, “That’s not in human nature”.
(iii) A warrant had been issued against Dancy and Inspector Dede had come to arrest him. First Mabel lied by saying that Dancy must have left. But when Dede saw the bedroom door and moved towards it, Mabel tried to pursuade him by saying that if he and his wife were in a similar situation, what would he do. Then she requests on behalf of two whole lives, to come back in half an horn, to which the Inspector denies.
(iv) The suicide note of Dancy was addressed to Colford. It read that, that was the only decent thing left for Dancy to do. He accepted that by killing himself he was being unfair to Mabel, but it was just another reckless jump made by him. He wrote that a pistol kept faith. He instructed Colford to look after Mabel and conveyed his love to both of them.
(v) She means that Dancy took refuge in a pistol which he thought “keeps faith”, but his friends including Margaret, also could keep faith i.e., prove loyal to him. But their loyalties were not enough for Dancy.
Considering the reckless nature of Dancy, it can be concluded that his Mends could have done nothing to save his life. They all tried their best to save him but he had more faith in a pistol than in his friends.
Section B – Poetry
A Collection of Poems
Question 5:
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
The buoy of the Inchcape Bell was seen
A darker speck on the ocean green;
Sir Ralph the Rover walk’d his deck,
And fix’d eye on the darker speck.
(The Inchcape Rock : Robert Southey)
(i) Contrast the weather when Sir Ralph the Rover passed the Inchcape Rock the first time with the weather when he returned to the place. [3]
(ii) Why had the Abbot of Aberbrothok hung a bell on the Inchcape Rock? [3]
(iii) Why did Sir Ralph cut the bell from the Inchcape Rock? Describe the manner in which it sank underwater. [3]
(iv) What did Sir Ralph say to reassure his men when it became very dark? What opinion did one of the sailors have about their location? What did they all wish for? [3]
(v) How did the ship sink? What sound did Sir Ralph imagine he could hear in his dying moments? What is the message of the poem? [4]
Answer:
(i) The first time the weather was calm, the wind was gentle, the ship was motionless (Hi the sea, the waves flowed over the Inchcape Rock but they did not move the Inchcape Bell.
When he returned, the sky was covered with a thick haze. The sun was not visible. The fierce winds continued to blow all the day, till the evening. It was so dark that no one was able to see anything.
(ii) The Abbot hung a bell so that the mariners would be warned of the Inchcape Rock. The timely warning would make them alert and no ship would hit the rock and thus perish.
(iii) Sir Ralph was a wicked pirate, he got pleasure seeing others in pain. He was jealous of the Abbot for being praised for placing the bell on the Inchcape Rock and out of malice he cut the bell.
The bell sank with a gurgling sound. The bubbles rose to the surface and burst around.
(iv) Sir Ralph said that soon the moon will rise and provide some light on the sea. One of the sailor said he could not tell where they were and hoped they were near the shore. They all wished to hear the Inchcape Bell.
(v) The wind had dropped and their ship was drifting along. The waves were rising high furiously and no warning sound from the Inchcape Bell was heard. The ship struck hard against the rock and the waves rushed in on every side and the ship sank.
The dreadful sound of the devil ringing one’s death knell.
One who digs a pit for others falls into it himself. The message is when one intends to harm, others by doing a wrong deed one becomes a victim of the deed himself.
Question 6:
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
What do you call, O ye pedlars?
Chessmen and ivory dice.
What do you make, O ye goldsmiths?
Wristlet and anklet and ring, ….
(In the Bazaars of Hyderabad: Sarojini Naidu)
(i) What all were being sold by the merchants? [3]
(ii) What is being ground by the maidens? Which items are the vendors weighing? [3]
(iii) Describe the bells that the goldsmiths are crafting for blue pigeons?
What do the goldsmiths make for the dancers and the king? [3]
(iv) Which instruments are the musicians playing? What are the magicians doing? [3]
(v) Mention the happy as well the sad occasions for which the flower girls are weaving flowers. Write one reason why the poem has appealed to you.
Answer:
(i) Merchants were selling turbans of deep red and silver colour, tunics made of heavy purple cloth, beautiful mirrors made of panels of amber and daggers with stone handles. These are the various items on sale.
(ii) Maidens are grinding sandalwood henna and spices. The vendors are weighing saffron, lentil and rice.
(iii) The goldsmiths are making bells which are very delicate to be tied to the feet of the blue pigeons. The bells are as delicate as a dragonfly’s wing.
The goldsmiths make girdles for the dancers and scabbards for the kings.
(iv) The musicians are playing on such instruments as the ‘sitar’, ‘sarangi’ and ‘drum’. Magicians utter spellbinding words, which will be remembered for many years to come.
(v) The happy occasions are the crowns for the forehead of a bridegroom, circles of flowers to garland his bed.
The sad occasion is the sheets with white flowers which are used at the funeral ceremony of the dead.
The true spirit of Indian life is portrayed. India of the rich is a land and with a culture of its own and also life is beautiful and colourful.
Section C – Prose
Collection of Short Stories
Question 7:
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Baldeo, the watchman, was awake. He stretched himself, slowly unwinding the heavy shawl that covered him like a shroud. It was close on midnight and the chill air made him shiver. The station, a small shack backed by heavy jungle, was a station in name only; for trains only stopped there, if at all, for a few seconds before entering the deep cutting that led to the tunnel. Most trains only slowed down before taking the sharp curve before the cutting.
(i) What were Baldeo’s duties as a watchman?
What question did his son ask him before he left for his nightly errand? [3]
(ii) Describe the axe that Baldeo carried with him. Who had made the axe? [3]
(iii) Which sound made Baldeo realise that the tiger was close by?
Why was he worried that the tiger may be going in the opposite direction? Why didn’t the tiger fear the man? [3]
(iv) Give an account of the encounter between Baldeo and the tiger. [3]
(v) How did the tiger die? Point out a similarity in the characters of Baldeo and his son Tembu. Give an example for each to justify your answer. [4]
Answer:
(i) Baldeo’s duties was to see if the tunnel is obstruction free before the arrived of the mail train. He also has to see if the signal lamp is burning at night. His son asked, “Shall I come too, father?”
(ii) The axe was small and looked fragile. The axe-head was made of pure steel. It was made over a charcoal fire by his father.
(iii) The frightened cry of a barking deer followed by a crashing sound in the undergrowth made Baldeo realise that the tiger was close by.
He was worried because in the hut his son Tembu was sleeping unprotected.
The tiger didn’t fear the man as it was used to the ways of man as it has been preying on them for years.
(iv) The tiger pounced upon him with its right paw, Baldeo leaped and avoided the paw and brought his axe down on the animal’s shoulder. Unluckily the axe got stuck in the bone and so he was left without a weapon. The tiger roaring with pain sprang upon Baldeo, brought him down and tore his broken body and was killed.
(v) The tiger was wounded in the fight, as the train entered the cutting the tiger was trapped like the man. Flight was impossible though he ran as fast as his wounded leg could allow. At the next station the driver was surprised to find major portion of tiger’s body. The tiger was cut off by the train.
Baldeo and his son Tembu both were brave and responsible. Immediately after his father’s death Tembu takes over the responsibilities of his family. Baldeo was responsible and sincere towards his duties of a khalasi as well as a parent.
Question 8:
With close reference to the story ‘The Bet’ by Anton Chekhov, mention the clauses of the bet as laid down between the young lawyer and the old banker. Give an account of the events that follows the bet. [16]
Answer:
In a party hosted by the banker the subject of capital punishment was discussed among the guests. Some disapproved death sentence and said it should be replaced by life imprisonment. The banker didn’t agree with the opinion. He argued life imprisonment kills slowly. One of the guests was a young lawyer who was of the view that both forms were immoral. He said if he had to choose he would choose lifelong imprisonment in place of death sentence.
A discussion followed. The banker got provoked and challenged a bet to the young lawyer. A bet was laid between the two that the banker would give two millions if the lawyer stayed in solitary confinement for five years. The lawyer said he would stay for fifteen years. There were certain terms and conditions agreed between the two. The lawyer was to stay on the lodge of the banker’s garden under strict supervision. He would not step out before the fixed time. He would see no human beings, hear no human voice and receive no letter or newspapers. He was allowed to’ drink wine, smoke, read as many books as he desires and write letters.
In the first year of his confinement the lawyer did not smoke or drink. He felt sad and depressed. He read book of light vein and played piano almost all the time. In the second year, no sound of music came from his room. He like to eat, drink and lie on the bed. In the sixth year he asked for books on languages, philosophy and history. For the next four years he read hundreds of books on diverse subjects. One full year he studied one single book, the Bible.
A day before the lawyer was to win the bet the banker thought if he had to give the man two millions he would go bankrupt. He thought he should kill him secretly. It was raining and the watchman was nowhere to be seen. With his wicked idea, the banker entered the room of his prisoner. He was shocked to find him reduced to mere skeleton, asleep on his bed. He thought he could easily stifle him with the pillow. Just then he saw a letter for him lying on the table. In it, he had written he now despised freedom, life and wealth and believed that only death was real. To prove that he had no interest in worldly things he would come out of his room five hours before the fixed time and lose the bet.
The banker was moved reading the letter. He kissed the prisoner’s head and went out. He could not sleep for hours. The next morning he went to his quarter to confirm that the prisoner had escaped. He picked the letter and kept it in his safe to avoid unnecessary talks.
Animal Farm: George Orwell
Question 9:
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Once again Clover and Benjamin warned him to take care of his health, but Boxer paid, no attention. His twelfth birthday was approaching. He did not care what happened so long as a good store of stone was accumulated before he went on pension.
Late one evening, in the summer, a sudden rumour ran round the farm that something had happened to Boxer. He had gone out alone to drag a load of stone down to the windmill. And sure enough, the rumour was true….
(i) In what condition did the animals find Boxer? [3]
(ii) Why did the animals feel uneasy when Squealer told them that Boxer would be sent to a hospital at Willingdon for treatment?
How did Squealer reassure them? [3]
(iii) How much longer did Boxer expect to live?
How did he plan to spend his remaining days? [3]
(iv) What was written on the van that took Boxer away? What did Boxer do when he heard the screams of the animals? [3]
(v) What was the new name given to Animal Farm by Napoleon?
What strange transformation did the animals notice on the faces of the pigs?
What is the significance of this transformation? [4]
Question 10:
Give an account of how lies were against Snowball after his expulsion, in order to paint him as a traitor. [16]
To Sir, With Love: E.R. Braithwaite
Question 11:
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Each Friday morning the whole school spent the pre-recess period in writing their Weekly Review. This was one of the Old Man’s pet schemes; and one about which he would brook no interference. Each child would review the events of his school week in his own words, in his own way; he was free to comment, to criticise, to agree or disagree, with any person, subject or method, as long as it was in some way associated with the school …..
(i) Why did Mr. Florian feel that the weekly review was of advantage to both pupil and teacher? [3]
(ii) Why did Braithwaite feel both relief and disappointment at the first weekly review his students had written since he joined the school? [3]
(iii) How was he given the silent treatment by his students? [3]
(iv) What does Braithwaite term the second and more annoying phase of his relationship with his students? What did some students do to disrupt his class? [3]
(v) Mention two qualities in Braithwaite’s character which help him to become a model teacher. Give suitable examples to illustrate your choice. [4]
Question 12:
Which courtesies did Braithwaite ask his class to observe and how did the students react to these ‘new rules’? Describe the incident that brought about a change in Denham’s hostile attitude towards Braithwaite. [16]